The body converts sugars into energy to help the body function; excess sugar is converted into fat to be stored and used later. Sugars are naturally found in fruit, vegetables, and starchy foods such as unprocessed rice, potatoes, whole grains, and legumes. The recipes that follow take advantage of natural sugars and avoid refined sugar.

Good Sugar

Complex carbohydrates are the friendly sugars. They are found naturally in unprocessed foods and have long, complex strands of molecules. The digestive system needs more time to process complex sugars than simple sugars, so the release of complex sugars into the body is spread out over a longer period of time.

Buy fresh foods at your grocery store or market. When it comes to fruit and vegetables, eat raw food as much as possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables will provide the carbs and complex sugars you need for energy and good health. They will leave you feeling full so you won't be tempted by empty-calorie snacks.

Bad Sugar

Simple sugars contain one powerfully sweet molecule, called a saccharide. Saccharides come from beets and sugar cane and have been reduced to their simplest form through processing. This type of sugar is nutritionally empty and creates spikes in blood sugar as it races through the digestive system.

Simple sugar, also known as sucrose or table sugar, is used as a flavor-enhancer in baked products and candy. It is also found in high-fructose corn syrup and other synthetic sweeteners. White sugar, brown sugar, and confectioner's sugar are all easily recognized examples of bad sugars.

Although they are much more natural than refined sugar, it is still true that honey, maple sugar and syrup, jams, and jellies also contain simple sugars and should be limited or avoided. Products like honey, maple syrup, and molasses have natural sugars, but they are highly concentrated and do not offer the same nutritional benefits as the natural sugars in fruits and vegetables.